Saha Pankthi Bhojanam to bond with people : Vanam Jwala Narasimha Rao

 Saha Pankthi Bhojanam to bond with people

Vanam Jwala Narasimha Rao

The Pioneer (24-06-2021)

If one observes keenly the speeches and interactions of Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao during his recent tours of Siddipet, Kamareddy, Warangal and Yadadri Bhuvanagiri districts, one would understand that he has now embarked upon a lofty mission of bringing about a qualitative change in contemporary politics. He is trying to bring in awareness among people to sift through divisive politics and development.

During his visit to Siddipet and Kamareddy, KCR's emphasis was on the slew of administrative reforms and how they had brought a transformation in the lives of people. During his visit to Warangal to perform Bhoomi Puja for a super specialty hospital, open administrative block of Kaloji Health University, and inaugurate the new Collectorate building, KCR spoke eloquently as is his wont.

KCR made visionary statements that would change the entire public and political eco system for good. In his speeches, eloquence and interaction with the people showed that he had an inbuilt desire to distinguish himself from other run of the mill stuff political leaders.

As his wont. In his Warangal speech, which was something like a Warangal Declaration, the emphasis was on health and the need to develop other cities on par with, or even more than, Hyderabad, the need for media to act responsibly when we are facing turbulent times due to the Covid-19 epidemic. He repeatedly told people not to do politics, except at the time of elections. He asked them to rise above the differences of caste, creed and community and work unitedly for the development of their village, town and city. He advised public representatives to be always among people and understand their day-to-day problems and find immediate solutions to them.

While instructing the officials concerned to develop the super specialty hospital coming up on the lines of major hospitals in Canada, he asked them to complete the complex -- with more than 30 floors as well as a helipad on its terrace -- in 18 months' time.

People watching this are reminded of how Bhagwan Satya Saibaba in the late 80s had asked the L&T representative who was entrusted with the construction of a super specialty hospital in Puttaparthi, how much time did he need. The L&T Chief then replied that they need two years to complete the construction. To which, Sri Satya Saibaba said, “No. It should be completed in a year. Exactly from the day I lay foundation stone I should opening the hospital one year from the same day.”  It happened exactly the way Sri Satya Saibaba wanted. Similarly, KCR said the entire hospital should be ready for the inauguration in 18 months. No doubt, it would be ready.

KCR did not mince words while criticising the media especially the electronic media for creating panic and fear among the people on the spread of Corona virus. But he was polite and in his inimitable style gave a piece of his mind to media not to indulge in creating fear. He said while doctors, scientists, epidemiologists in the world have not yet finalized the treatment protocol to the Corona as on date, running 24x7 programmes on the possible reasons for the spread and treatment is not correct and the media should not play with the public health. He said many died due to the fear of Corona rather than the actual Corona.

At the Gram Sabha in Vasaalamarri village which he adopted, the CM as an excellent teacher and father figure in simple words explained to the people about Muhammad Yunus a Bangladeshi social entrepreneur, banker, economist, and civil society leader who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for founding the Grameen Bank and pioneering the concepts of microcredit and microfinance. The Grameen Bank is an institution that provides microcredit (small loans to poor people possessing no collateral) to help its clients establish creditworthiness and financial self-sufficiency. KCR wanted the people especially women to form such groups, become economically self-reliant and contribute to the overall development of their village in particular and society in general. He desired that Vasaalamarri village should develop and prosper in such way that people all over the globe should visit the village to undertake a hands-on study to replicate.

The Vedas equated food with Brahman. It also compared Saha Pankthi Bhojanam to collective meditation. The Saha Pankthi Bhojanam creates brotherhood, a feeling of unity and belongingness and it leads to a personal binding among the participants. KCR used this practice to strike an immediate bonding with the people as well as imbibing in them a sense of togetherness. Imagine, people having lunch with him feeling when KCR himself goes around the place and interacting with the people sitting for lunch. It establishes a permanent emotional bonding between him and the people. It also sends a string signal that he cares for them.

It is said that eloquence is the power to translate a truth into language perfectly intelligible to the person to whom you speak and the finest eloquence is that which gets things done. This is exactly KCR does when he addresses people. His oratory skills are the best and his speech is heard with rapt attention by the people. In Warangal when he asked whether he is boring them, the people immediately host back saying they want more.

Be it law and order, medical and health, education, development, agriculture, women or any subject, his total grip and understanding of the subject he talks about is amazing. Statistics and data are on his fingertips or the tip of his tongue; he does not require any teleprompter or bureaucrat's passion chits of information. His words come from his heart and the subject from his brain. No other leader in contemporary society has the gift of gab that KCR has and none can beat him in that.

Ancient wisdom says that heroes that the future of any country can be predicted and assessed based on the country’s youth and whom they look up to as the leader. In KCR we have one such leader. (With VJM Divakar)